03/10/2012

Saturday Flea Market for March 10, 2012

ou may not believe it, but...I didn't buy a pair of clogs on Friday. This may be something you manage not to do most days so it may not seem like all that big a deal. For me, though, it felt a little out of the ordinary. I mean, I already owned a pair of Rockport clog boots in the style known as Katja. And when regular reader Jan wrote from California to compliment them and observe that the knee high shearling shaft might prove a bit warm for her climate, I had to write back to point out that Rockport had put out three or four other styles under the name Katja that included an open toed clog sandal, a shearling cuffed open heeled clog, a calf high clog boot, a studded leather open heeled clog, and a plain ol' regular open heeled clog. And of course in making the rounds to scout out all these styles for her, I noticed that the plain ol' regular open heeled clog was available in my size...in a color I'd been curious about (a deep green that Rockport calls Night Forest)...for a sale price that was a third off the orginal price...and that Amazon.com was offering an additional $15.00 off a variety of styles if you place an order before March 19th. When things like that line up, you have to take it as a sign, don't you? I apparently did. Selected my size. Picked the color. Chose the shipping address and filled in the credit card info. I was all set to go.

And then,...I stopped.

It wasn't all that surprising actually. I liked the look of the shoe and I liked the price. But I had to admit that it was probably going to end up being a shoe I only wore once or twice and then relegated to take up space on the shelf. Not good. I like my shoes to be part of my creative flow each day. I like to get up in the morning and ask myself what shoe adventure I want to have today. (And I'm sure a few of you know the feeling.) So instead of just settling for an okay pair of shoes (even at close to 40% off), I held back. I shut my browser without completing my order. I moved on to another project. And I saved my moeny for a pair of shoes that will bring me that buzz for real.

Jeez, I feel like I'm sharing a story at an A. A. meeting. But to me it felt good to walk away for a change.

Not that it's going to develop into a regular habit or anything. That would be a problem.

[On my mind as I blog: well, what would you expect? That goofy Katja clog from Rockport that I didn't order. I know you're going to suggest that I protest too much and that I should just buy 'em anyway. But to be honest, I truly think I was not sufficiently enamored of them to want to deal with returning them if they turned out not to fit or the color was disappointing. Which truly doesn't fly as justification enough. I've acquired many a shoe thinking that it would be an "okay" addition, and ended up wearing it to death. But you watch. I'm not going to knuckle under on this one. I'm saving my mad money for something better. You watch. Really. I mean it.]

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Ah! Those MIAs are adorable! Thank goodness they are too small or I'd get them, then proceed to kill myself wearing them, because I flip right out of backless styles; Melissa is not a good look flat on the sidewalk!

Lindsey, I can't offer any solace: we are ten days into March—beware the ides???—and I have clicked the order button four times. If I keep this up, I will have broken my shoes-bought-in-a-month record by two pair! Unlike you, I seem to be able to love every pair I keep, and also unlike you, I don't have kids in college to support!

On a side note, all ya'll may remember my photo of shame showing my gazillion pairs of Dansko Professionals? I gritted my teeth and curled my toes and donated a dozen pair (and an equal number of Dr. Martens and Fluevogs!) to a local organization that helps women get back on their feet—literally—after becoming homeless by providing them with shoes and volunteer work that often leads to employment. I get a real kick out of imagining a down-and-out single mom's morning being brightened by donning a pair of purple Professionals!

Melissa: Bless you for bringing up a topic I've been meaning to explore for months. Is that organization Soles4Souls? They offer a worthy place to point your unwanted footwear. Much worthier than the landfill. I'll write that post up soon.

And yes, those MIAs are adorable. They speak to my clog aesthetics loudly and clearly, too. Not to add to your temptation (of course, that's what I always like to do for other people when it comes to shoes), but there are more lovely pictures of this pair if you click through to the seller's Etsy page...where you will learn that she lists the shoes as a "7 or 7-1/2" and provides the info that the insole measures "9-5/8 inches". That puts them in your wheelhouse, doesn't it? And as for walking out of them, well, just keep your eyes open for a comparably colored ankle strap from another pair of used clogs or wooden sandals, and modify the MIAs with it. You'd look smashing in these. And the distressed leather just makes them irresistible, I think.

Good exercise in practicing self restraint. I just did that with clothes yesterday. I realized I don't have to have one in every color if I like a thing. I usually only wear my favorite colored one anyway, so why buy all the other colors? It felt good to just leave the store with one shirt instead of 3 or 7.

Also, I like this idea of donating spare shoes to organizations. Yes, please make a post.

Yes, I nearly jumped out of my chair when I saw those MIAs, and quickly scrolled down to confirm my suspicion that they were too small for me. Oh well. Money saved I guess...

I have to say that I ended up on this site out of curiosity through my friendship with Melissa, but I am avidly becoming a clog admirer. So many beautiful shoes! I am proud to say that I bought my first pair of Jeffrey Campbells, through direct influence of seeing Melissa's. I went all out and got what I think are the most fabulous (and outrageous!) shoes I have ever owned, though I'm not sure how much they'll get to go strutting. I'm just hoping to stay upright when I finally do stroll out the front door. Might not be until next fall though, with this crazy warm weather, as they are the quite furry!http://www.lesmads.de/blogs/chuhchuh/2011/02/jeffrey_campbell_tierinvasion_-_lita_shag_shoe.php

And Danskos, Dr. Martins and Fluevogs in a landfill? Can't even imagine! Glad they went to a good cause (though I can't help but want to be a greedy, good cause myself!)

Pips: Furry Litas??? You most definitely rawk!!! And don't wait for the cool weather to return. Model 'em for us indoors and send pics! I'd love to see how gloriously hirsute platforms look on a real live pair of legs!!!